Hello Alyrium
Let me throw my un-educated $0.02 if you will
Imagination
Imagination is nothing more than the ability to visualize abstracts. Like the consequences of your actions. Playing out a scenario in your head. Can you see how that would be an advantage? By being able to visualize the consequences of our actions, we stand a better chance of choosing the correct action in any given circumstance. This will increase our chances of survival, and best of all, it isnt an all or nothing scenario.
Are you sure you are not thinking of the thought process or deductive reasoning? Imaginantion cannot in my opinion be described as you have done. Imaganation creates movies and plays and novels.
2. Individual creativity
A byproduct of imagination. By being able to visualize an abstract, it only follows that someone would be able to "build the right tool for the job" so to speak. This flows over into liezure activities as well, and opresto, we have things like art.
So what you are saying here is that a painting done by an elephant is just as valulable as one done by Picaso? It is done by the Elephants imagination since we are no different than animals right?
3. Appreciation of beauty for its own sake
It isnt an end to itself, but rather a by product of our intelligence and ability to think in abstracts(Beauty is an abstract, a subjective opinion etc)
Ok but here in this topic please give an example of animals appreciating beauty and rejecting uglyness. See that is what the topic is about. A few of us think we are different than animals and few of you say that we have nothing that seperates us.
4. The desire to express one's individuality
Sorry if I am a bit crass...
crudity edited out by tuppence
I guess you do not have a answer for this question? cause I'm totaly lost as to what you are saying here (PS: remember you are on a Christian board so please watch the profanity )
5. The ability to communicate in abstract language (like this)
Key word, abstract. Besides, mosit animals have something close to a language. DOlphins meet every criteria. They have everything from verbs to syntax.
It is an evolutionary advantage to be able to communicate with others in your group. It would only follow that eventually animals would get good at it.
I'm pretty sure Tuppence ment like over the internet as we are doing. (correct me if I'm wrong Tupp. ) But lets look at math as well it is a language is it not? I believe it is universal. Please show me the example of animals using math. I looked on the Internet and could not find any. It should be math ocurring in nature and not man teaching math to animals.
6. A concept of the distant past as expressed through writings and words and stories.
See pieces on abstracts That is all a story is, the reverse of recalling a potential future. But rather, visualizing the past. Also advantageous, learning from one's mistakes.
Again I'm pretty sure Tupp is talking about memoirs or even cave paintings. What are you talking about? Please tell it to me in laymans terms Thanks